If life is a journey (and I think it is), where are we headed? And if we can answer that, how do we get there? What road, path, course do we take? And what's our means of transportation?

Making the right decision at life's crossroads challenges us to know what to do--and not do.

Of course, that term "crossroads" harks back to the time when every journey (at least on land) meant traveling on a road. And somewhere along the road we'd come to an intersection and have to decide which way to go. In today's world, life's journey takes directions not simply to the left or right, but also up or down, faster or slower, more intense or more relaxed and with a variety of consequences we need to consider.

In choosing our course, we need to keep in mind our goal. Or should we say "goals" (plural)?

Ah, it's easy enough for us to say we aim for happiness, survival, redemption, peace, love, success and on and on--maybe one or many more such desirable ends. But we can't achieve such goals, let's admit, unless we consider that they're the effects of cause.

"Cause and effect." That's a phrase that rolls easily off our tongues. But in setting our goals, let's not confuse what comes first. It's cause, of course.
So here we are at a crossroads of life. If we set a goal that's happiness, survival, etc., shouldn't we consider first what it is that brings it about? And what might that be?

Could it be attitude? One's self-worth? The truth about who we are?
O.K., let's not be too hard on ourselves. We can be overly guilty sometimes. And overly proud. And overly self-righteous.

At a crossroads of life, let us simply know we are worthy ones entitled to worthy lives. None of us would ever be if it weren't for a creative force endowing us with all good. It simply figures. A creative force, by definition, simply can't be destructive.

Yes, that's positive thinking. Worldly conditions may have us smile indulgently at the phrase. But here at life's crossroads, we're trying to find directions, right?

So let's consider the path to follow, the effect we seek, in the light of what we are and can be as the cause of what we seek. In other words. what instructs us to go left or right? What instructs us to hurry forward or proceed deliberately or just amble on? And what empowers us to do so?

Here's where we define our goal or goals and then consider our ways and resources for getting there. Yes, it may help to give a score to each alternative, to write down the pros and cons and weigh them on a make-believe scale.

We consider our ways and resources for achieving our objective. We consider what we can do with the resources we see at hand--in terms of money, time, geography, relationships, etcetera.
But we don't stop there!

We look inward, to the resources we have as worthy, inspired beings. Each of us does that in our own way--by meditation, prayer, a long walk in nature, or just complete withdrawal from worldly affairs. One way or another, we're tapping into Wisdom.

Here's where we may indeed find it best to stop and, in our daily life, go ahead with our worldly routine. No, we won't be ignoring our purpose. We'll know that, as we have looked inward, we'll have started our soulful wheels turning. Not spinning, but moving toward our clear-cut goal.

One thing: We'll keep our inner eyes and ears open. Never impatient but ever alert, we'll be ready to take action when we're prompted to. When and as Wisdom directs.

In the infinite truth of things, Wisdom already will have the answer we seek and the means to bring it about. Our task is to fine-tune our alertness. And be ready to take action when we're prompted to--maybe right away. Maybe one step at a time.

For sure, let us know that the process has started.

ęCopyright 2004 Hubert Pryor. All Rights Reserved.

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Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'cause I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you

So if you're mad, get mad
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well I'm a lot like you
When you're standing at the Crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'cause even if you're wrong